Cape Coral man arrested for DUI manslaughter after woman dies in crash

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

Cape Coral police say a truck hit another truck along Beach Parkway, killing one person.

"We were in the kitchen, and we heard a big crash. We thought they hit the manatee; that's concrete out here. It's been hit before. Run out here. We saw the pickup in the median and saw a truck on its side," said Jody Goldsboro and Cheryl Swick.

For Goldsboro and Swick, the flashing lights along Beach Parkway marked the unthinkable. They say their best friend, Debbie Stortzum, died in Sunday's crash on Beach Parkway and Oasis Boulevard. She was a passenger in a truck that rolled several times.

"It was a head skid off it, it here and then rolled several times, and then slid and then was right at the side of the road by the ditch," said Goldsboro and Swick.

Now, they're grieving the sudden loss, while also praying for Debbie's husband, Chuck Stortzum. He survived, but suffered serious injuries.

"He's got three fractured vertebrae, seven fractured ribs, a broken nose and lacerations that they had to staple up in his leg," Goldsboro said.

Cape Coral police say 22-year-old Tyler Janson was nearly twice the legal limit.

"The kid crawled out of the truck and just stood there. But he didn't come to us. He didn't talk to anybody. He didn't check on the truck," Swick said.

Cape Coral police arrested Janson in August 2025 for drunk driving. Police say they had a close call after he almost hit them during a traffic stop along Chiquita Boulevard.

Through their heartbreak, there's one thing Goldsboro and Swick want everyone to remember about their beloved friend.

"She loved her family so much. She had two daughters that call every day. They talked on the phone every day. She just was a family person. I mean, if they needed her, she was in the car and going and helping them. Just the best friend you could have," Goldsboro said.

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